New Group Pavilion Opens at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Multipurpose Rec Hall Named in Honor of Amarillo-area Benefactor

CANYON, TX—Some 200 people from across the region turned out for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the long-awaited Mack Dick Group Pavilion in the bottom of scenic Palo Duro Canyon State Park on Thursday.

The ceremony was accented with a dramatic flair with the singing of the national anthem and other musical performances by members of the play “Texas”—complete with horses, cowboys and dancers—and a rendition of Texas Our Texas by Golden Spread men’s chorus. Numerous speakers from TPWD senior leadership, the Amarillo Area Foundation and Partners in Palo Duro Canyon Foundation also participated in the day’s agenda.

“The last great group facilities that were built in Texas parks, were done so back in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp; it’s been long enough,” said Carter Smith, TPWD Executive Director. “It’s befitting for a world-class place like Palo Duro Canyon State Park to have a world-class facility like the Mack Dick Group Pavilion.”

Several years in the making, the new 4,080 square-foot building was constructed of stone and materials native to the Panhandle, and was made possible by a large donation from Amarillo-area businessman Mack Dick, for whom the multipurpose facility is named. It features meeting space, a commercial kitchen, restrooms, audio-visual equipment and stylish western furniture

Demand for the new Pavilion is high, as it has already been booked for numerous days this summer and even into the fall; expectations are that it will be popular for weddings, receptions, family reunions, parties, RV groups, and even corporate retreats.

“For people to come together and make this possible, I think it’s going to allow generations of folks to come out and enjoy the canyon, and experience it in a way that continues the tradition of what the original vision of this park has always been,” said Cory Evans, superintendent at Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

For more information, contact Palo Duro Canyon State Park staff at (806) 488-2227, or to make reservations for the new Mack Dick Group Pavilion, contact the state park customer service center at (512) 389-8900.

2012-04-13

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